Chapter 32 Introducing SW Asia

1
Chapter 32 Introducing SW Asia

• I. PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY

2
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

• SW Asia lies at the intersection of the
  African, Eurasian, and Arabian tectonic plates

3
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
The collision of these plates has resulted in
mountains, valleys, plateaus, and narrow gulfs
4
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
There are frequent earthquakes in the region

5
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

• A desert climate covers most of SW Asia

6
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
It is the center of the worlds largest arid
region
7
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Rainfall is scarce and oases are an important
source of water in the desert
8
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Mountains receive most of the regions
precipitation due to the orographic effect
Zagros Mountains in Iran
9
A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Exotic rivers carry this water across the deserts
to the sea
Euphrates Tigris River Delta, Persian Gulf
10
B. Agriculture
Agriculture is a major occupation in Southwest
Asia
11
B. Agriculture
Most farmers raise only enough crops and animals
for their own families subsistence agriculture
12
B. Agriculture
Barley and wheat are the important grains
Wild and cultivated wheat
two-row barley (center), and six-row barley
(right), grown in the United States, the Middle
East and India.
13
B. Agriculture
Citrus fruits, olives, figs, nuts, and grapes are
grown in the Mediterranean coastal areas
14
B. Agriculture
Some livestock is raised, mainly sheep and goats
15
B. Agriculture
Commercial agriculture is widespread in Israel
16
B. Agriculture
Turkey and other Arab countries are developing
commercial agriculture
17
(No Transcript)
18
B. Agriculture
Irrigation is critical to agriculture in SW Asia
19
B. Agriculture
The simplest types of irrigation use a furrow to
divert water to the crop
20
B. Agriculture
Irrigation is also provided by deep wells that
tap into fossil water
21
B. Agriculture
An ancient type of irrigation that is still used
today is the Qanat system
22
C. Resources and industry
Oil is the regions richest mineral resource
Kuwait oil well fires - 1991
23
C. Resources and industry
The largest oil deposits are along the Persian
Gulf and in Iraq
24
C. Resources and industry
Most of the oil is exported to world markets
25
C. Resources and industry
The economies of oil-exporting countries are tied
to the price of oil
26
C. Resources and industry
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC) is made up of 12 oil producing countries
27
C. Resources and industry
OPEC was formed in 1960 to have more control over
world oil prices
28
C. Resources and industry
Turkey has coal, iron ore, and chromium
29
C. Resources and industry
Iran has copper and other mineral deposits
30
C. Resources and industry
The Dead Sea contains salts used in the chemical
industry
Calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, as well as
iron, sulfur, phosphorus, and chlorine are just
some of the substances found in Dead Sea Minerals
Retrieving Dead Sea Minerals
31
Dead Sea lowest elevation on earth - 1300 ft.
feet below sea level at the surface maximum
depth exceeds 1330 feet. The Jordan River enters
from the north the sea. No river flows from it.
Because it loses water only by evaporation, the
Dead Sea has a salt content of more than 25
(seven times ocean water). Its buoyancy makes it
impossible for a swimmer to sink.
32
C. Resources and industry
Israel is the only country in the region that is
considered to be a developed nation
33
C. Resources and industry
Although oil-rich, the other countries are
considered to be developing nations